


Black Ice

by traumereis



Category: Radiant Historia
Genre: Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-24
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-10 22:54:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4411031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/traumereis/pseuds/traumereis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Standard History Alistel, General Hugo's ambitions grow unchecked.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Turning and Turning

For all of its efforts, Alistel was unable to defend Sand Fortress. Insurgent attacks on the military’s armament supply chain had crippled the front at Alma Mine, prompting Field Marshal Viola to divert vital resources to the beleaguered northern forces. Granorg had taken the opportunity to overrun Alistel, driving her forces back to Lavzil Hills.  
“My sincerest apologies, General. With our forces divided by defending Alma Mine, we were unable to reclaim Sand Fortress from the Granorgite army.” Viola explained. “They have not advanced past Judgment Cliffs; however, if we choose to seal the front at Alma Mine perhaps—”

“Perhaps what, Viola?” Hugo interjected. “Did you forget the lengths the Children of Noah went to to secure the fortress the last time Granorg pushed all the way to our doorstep? I was forced to play into the hand of that heretical tumor we call the head of Special Intelligence.”

Heiss then. Viola cared little for his thinly veiled disdain for the Prophet Noah, but his intelligence had been useful. “Wouldn’t it be our duty to ensure that their deaths were not in vain then? Or does the Prophet have other plans?”

Hugo leaned back where he sat, sighing as he massaged his temples. “Now look Viola. I appreciate your enthusiasm, I truly do. But as the winter snows melt from the mountaintops when spring arrives, so must the current generation give way to the younger. Tell me, how fares the young Captain Rosch?”

“He performed admirably, sir. His newly formed brigade staged an ambush and kept the Granorgite forces occupied until Sergeant Bell’s brigade was able to rendezvous with them. He is deeply committed to the cause, and young as he is, his men hold a great deal of respect for him.”

“Hmm hmm. That is comforting to hear. We must once again be thankful for the guidance of the Prophet.”

And uncomfortable silence stretched out, as Viola waited for Hugo to continue. Had the Prophet known about her illness after all? When it seemed as though the General had nothing further to say, Viola could not help but inquire. “I understand that the Prophet Noah wishes me to step aside for Captain Rosch’s advancement, but what would the he have me do instead, General?”

Viola knew of only one other former Field Marshal that had been decommissioned instead of dying in battle. And Lieutenant General Raul was nowhere so old to be near retirement.

“Fret not, Viola. The Prophet Noah will provide.”


	2. Things fall apart

For all of its efforts, Alistel was unable to defend Sand Fortress. Insurgent attacks on the military’s armament supply chain had crippled the front at Alma Mine, prompting Field Marshal Viola to divert vital resources to the beleaguered northern forces. Granorg had taken the opportunity to overrun Alistel, driving her forces back to Lavzil Hills.

“My sincerest apologies, General. With our forces divided by defending Alma Mine, we were unable to reclaim Sand Fortress from the Granorgite army.” Viola explained. “They have not advanced past Judgment Cliffs; however, if we choose to seal the front at Alma Mine perhaps—”

“Perhaps what, Viola?” Hugo interjected. “Did you forget the lengths the Children of Noah went to secure the fortress the last time Granorg pushed all the way to our doorstep? I was forced to play into the hand of that heretical tumor we call the head of Special Intelligence.”

Heiss then. Viola cared little for his thinly veiled disdain for the Prophet Noah, but his intelligence had been useful. “Wouldn’t it be our duty to ensure that their deaths were not in vain then? Or does the Prophet have other plans?”

Hugo leaned back where he sat, sighing as he massaged his temples. “Now look Viola. I appreciate your enthusiasm, I truly do. But as the winter snows melt from the mountaintops when spring arrives, so must the current generation give way to the younger. Tell me, how fares the young Captain Rosch?”

“He performed admirably, sir. His newly formed brigade staged an ambush and kept the Granorgite forces occupied until Sergeant Bell’s brigade was able to rendezvous with them. He is deeply committed to the cause, and young as he is, his men hold a great deal of respect for him.”

“Hmm hmm. That is comforting to hear. We must once again be thankful for the guidance of the Prophet.”

And uncomfortable silence stretched out, as Viola waited for Hugo to continue. Had the Prophet known about her illness after all? When it seemed as though the General had nothing further to say, Viola could not help but inquire. “I understand that the Prophet Noah wishes me to step aside for Captain Rosch’s advancement, but what would the he have me do instead, General?”

Viola knew of only one other former Field Marshal that had been decommissioned instead of dying in battle. And Lieutenant General Raul was nowhere so old to be near retirement.

“Fret not, Viola. The Prophet Noah will provide.”

Things Fall Apart  
Viola felt that there was little need for her resignation to be very public, as such a sudden change would likely demoralize the troops, so she had the messenger deliver the news to just her three colonels to inform them of the transition. No doubt they would be miffed at the change, especially since Rosch was such a young commander–well, it wasn’t the first time Alistel had shuffled ranks to install someone on top. And though Rosch was inexperienced, she was sure that with the support of the existing commanding officers under her division, he would perform admirably well in his new role.

“Viola. I didn’t realize you were back in Alistel.”

She turned to the sound of the voice. “Lieutenant General Raul.” She said in greeting. “The General requested my presence to discuss our recent activities.” And then some. Viola suspected the Lieutenant General had picked up on the oddness of her presence.

Raul nodded in understanding. “My secretary informed me that she noticed you leaving his office a little while ago. If you aren’t otherwise occupied at the moment, might I request a few minutes of your time in my office?” He quickly glanced around the deserted hallway surreptitiously before dropping his tone. “She’s brought in yet another pie and I can’t get any of the soldiers here to eat any when I offer it to them.”

Viola had to chuckle a bit at the hapless look on the Lieutenant General’s otherwise serious face, before her mirth dissolved into a few coughs. “Did you make it clear that you weren’t the one who baked it?” She asked.

“Of course I did.” He replied somewhat too indignantly for a man of his position. He ushered Viola into his office, where atop his desk (or rather, atop the papers on his desk) sat a large pie. Raul shut the door behind them and served her a slice of the pastry before helping himself. “Although, I’ll have you know I’m not completely inept in the culinary arts.”

“I’m merely jesting. Thank you.”

“Well, I’m glad we got that cleared up…” Raul said, sighing. “But back on your meeting with Hugo–this is the first time you’ve returned to Alistel for over a year. If I recall correctly, you weren’t even around for the Prophet’s birthday celebration last year.”

“You are correct. Granorg had decided to launch an offensive just at that time, I had to be there.” The skirmishes then had been minimal, at least. In hindsight, she probably should have had a bit more faith in Colonel Nosh’s experience in handling the situation, as he constantly reminded her. “At any rate, it appears that it’s likely that I’ll be available here more often in the near future.”

“I beg your pardon?” Raul looked up, puzzled.

“Did the General not tell you? He’s promoting Captain Rosch to my position.” She was surprised that someone of the Lieutenant General’s rank was not informed. "After my command caused Alistel to lose hold of Sand Fortress again, I suppose it’s to be expected.”

Raul had put down his plate and bowed his head in contemplation. “First of all, no, I have not been privy to his thoughts. I understood that the initial incident that caused our losses at Sand Fortress was instigated by a lack of coordination on acting on intelligence on our part. I’m sorry that this had reflected poorly on you, and now–oh, what is he thinking?”

“I admit that I wasn’t expecting something like this either, but apparently it was what Noah had suggested.” That, and though she was loathe to admit it, her coughing fits had been steadily getting worse as the year progressed. “You know Captain Rosch’s skills better than anyone, I don’t think I need to reassure you that he’s capable of performing in the same capacity I have been.”

“I’ll have to find some means to speak with him later now, I suppose.” Raul said, mentally noting the activity. “But right now, I’m quite concerned for your sake. Alistel has been changing; subtly, but surely. You’re quite aware that not many just step down from being Field Marshal?”

“The only other I can think of being yourself?” The event had taken place over five years ago; she had only been a lieutenant then. “I realized that I’ve never asked, probably because I had been too excited to care, but why had you resigned back then?” It wasn’t as though the lieutenant general had been living the past five years with an incurable disease, he had no immediate family or children that she knew of, and he didn’t seem to be the type to violate military laws or decency standards.

“I had been getting overconfident, I suppose.” Raul mused, sighing. “It was after one of the missions under my command went catastrophically wrong–it was the one that caused Rosch to lose his arm. Though in the grand scheme of things, it had little impact on the course of the war, and the casualties weren’t even that great. Hugo had suggested that it might do me some good to have a change of scenery. Though you’ve done remarkably well in that time, in hindsight I wonder if the war would have ended by now if I had not resigned.”

“In that case, why don’t you ask the General for your position back?” She suggested. Even if he had done nothing but back room logistics for half a decade, the Lieutenant General was still probably the most talented strategist in Alistel.

“Just I have the inkling that Hugo decided to promote Rosch and not one of your three colonels for a reason. Just as he promoted you over Colonel Bordeau five years ago.” he replied wryly. "Rosch was due for a promotion, of course, but Hugo was the one who suggested that his brigade be formed in the first place.”

“I admit, I do wonder what Colonel Bordeau’s done to get on the General’s bad side. He’s been quite exemplary and patient, far as I can tell. Though the General did mention something about making room for the new generation…I guess by that reasoning you wouldn’t fit the bill either.”

“Well, it would seem not.”

“A fair assessment. Although I’d say it’s safe to say now that you still would be better suited for the job. But enough about myself.” Raul broke off, as though trying to parse his words. “Given his background, I find it concerning for Hugo to be so selectively involved in the operations on the front line. I’ve looked into it, but I haven’t found any evidence that he had even seen military combat–although our older records even back ten years ago are quite disorganized…his approach to this war isn’t what I would expect from a military officer, but from a career politician.”

Viola nodded. Hugo’s credentials had been the subject of many debates by her soldiers–their discontent towards the General’s sometimes desultory requests was something she was quite familiar. She did not encourage such discussion, but it wasn’t her place to quell such unfounded gossip either.

“Installing a relatively unknown, young commander as head of the military–such action carries inherent risks to the basic operations of the military, compliance in the chain of command notwithstanding.“ Raul continued. "It’s something that is that is more appropriately suited for fiction and stories to the public. Well, it’s something that garnered him a great deal of popularity with the civilians the first time around; I suspect he’s trying the same thing now. Certainly you’ve heard that Hugo has been trying to find some way to remove you from public favor for some time now?

A common grumbling of her troops, Viola recalled. “The rumor mill could be quite frightening. I’m surprised you would take stock in such things, Lieutenant General.” 

“It is a useful resource when consulted with enough discretion.” Raul countered. “But the fact that he has asked for you for your resignation as Field Marshal still stands–”

“Lieutenant General. You’ve made your point.” Viola interrupted. “I am quite aware of the General’s personal thoughts toward myself. However, I do not intend to engage in whatever popularity contest seems to be going on here. Whatever the General’s biases, we are still united in defense of Alistel and her people. If my role is to change to better address that purpose, I must content myself with accepting it. Certainly you must have thought the same?”

Raul regarded her for some time, a bit stunned. “You’re correct, of course.” He finally said.

“I know you have more to say than just that, Lieutenant General.”

“I thought you’ve had enough of an old man’s conspiracy theories for one afternoon?”

“You’re bound to tell me anyways sooner or later. And you’re not that old.”

“I think you’ll be surprised.” he quipped.

It wasn’t clear what exactly she would be surprised by. As talkative as the Lieutenant General seemed to be, Viola understood his speech to be precisely measured to how much he trusted the other person to know, and that person’s ability to discern the same. At any rate, it seemed that their conversation had dissolved into an uncomfortable silence. Viola quickly finished what was left of her pie.

“Would you consider taking some with you?” He offered when she stood up to leave.

“No, thank you. But please pass my compliments to your secretary for me. It was quite delicious.”

“She’ll be happy to hear that. She’s quite fond of you, you know.” He said. “Back to work then, I suppose.“

"Lieutenant General, I do appreciate your concern. And I recognize that your experience here with Alistel high command and General Hugo far exceeds that of mine.” Viola said, attempting to salvage an otherwise awkward exit. “I’d just prefer if you could wait a little longer before trying to second guess my present decision. I do need some time to myself to think over all this.“

"Yes, my apologies. I’ve been too forward.” He nodded in understanding. “Still, I feel it appropriate to believe in your capabilities, even if Hugo does not. If you feel a need to air any grievances, I’ll be happy to lend a hand–or ear, whatever would be appropriate for the circumstance.”

“No doubt being back in Alistel will take some getting used to.” she replied. “For the record, it was good to speak with you again, if I seemed discourteous. I presume that with my dismissal now in place, I will be seeing you around more often.”

“Likewise. Viola–” Raul started as she reached the door. “I shouldn’t have to remind you, but just remember that this isn’t the front lines. We may all be united against Granorg, but the relative safety of the citadel has its way of incubating personal ambitions.”

Even yours? Viola found herself wondering. “Understood. Good afternoon, Lieutenant General.”

\--

Viola didn’t recognize where she was; Alistel had none of the lavish finery that decorated every inch of the room she found herself. An ornate carpet ran across the length of the room, ending past a set of double doors. She found herself making her way past these doors, and on a balcony overlooking what appeared to be a central courtyard.

A crowd had gathered below, and though she was a bit high up, she could make out the faces of the people below. They were mostly civilians, a few Alistellian soldiers stood guard surrounding the crowd, but their faces were covered and she could not recognize them. 

At the front of the courtyard, Hugo stood together with a robed figure by his side. The General stooped over the consult with the robed man, occasionally making a great show of nodding. Finally he turned to address the crowd. 

“My children! There is no need to fear, for the Prophet Noah has spoken! God tests us now as he always has! A test of the faith in our hearts! Now is truly our ordeal!”

The gathered crowd broke immediately into protests, yelling at Hugo to allow the Prophet Noah to speak directly. There were not nearly enough soldiers on crowd control duty, and one of the civilians got through to where the robed figure stood. Hugo moved to intercept, but was pushed into the robed figure instead.

The robed figure fell, and even from her distant vantage point above the courtyard, Viola could see that there was no man under the figure, least of all the Prophet. Somehow, she was not surprised. 

The crowd fell silent, before erupting into a panic. Some broke into hysterics, while others clamored with rage against the soldiers, who were only half-heartedly responding. Viola could see a few others spontaneously collapse--both from fainting, and into prayer, while the rest scrambled away from the courtyard. 

The balcony door behind her was knocked open. Viola’s hand flew to the sword at her side, relaxing only when she recognized the slightly panicked face of one of her captains. “Field Marshal Viola! The troops are all in disarray--Colonel Bell and Frederic are doing all they can, but I’m afraid we’ll have a mutiny on our hands at this rate!”

Viola nodded. “Understood. Let them know I’ll be down there in a minute.” 

“And what of General Hugo?”

A quick glance into the courtyard below confirmed that the General had hightailed out of view. “Leave his pursuit for now; we need to make sure no harm comes to the civilians. Besides,” she added, noticing the captain’s skeptical look, “the only place he can possibly return to now is Alistel, we should be able to confront him once the situation here is resolved.” 

The captain answered with a hasty “Yes, sir!” before returning back indoors. Viola turned to take one last glance at the courtyard below. 

The crowd, which had been milling around the courtyard without any semblance of order, rapidly dispersed, save for a few individuals that lingered, as though they were half-dead. The robed dummy continued to lay abandoned on the ground, its nonexistent face staring unseeingly at the sky.

At the edge of the city streets Viola could see signs of the fighting approaching. She inhaled sharply to steel herself for the battle that was to come, and found that she was not able to breathe. 

\--

While it was true that things weren’t going terribly well on the Sand Fortress front, Raul thought it a bit impudent of Hugo to have forced Viola’s resignation, and for that matter, of Viola’s unexpected acceptance of such a recommendation. 

The circumstances of the General's actions were, naturally, quite suspicious, despite his reasoning. They had, after all, pushed back the Granorgite army from their previous position at Lazvil Hills a bit further down to the Judgment Cliffs. And Sand Fortress had been won and lost many times over the course of the past years; taking the stronghold had become less of a test of skill that it was a test of patience and endurance. Surely she realized that as well. 

“Lieutenant General, you’ve been staring out the window for over an hour now. Is something the matter?” his secretary inquired. 

“When was the last time you took a vacation?”

“If I took a vacation, you’d not eat for three weeks and then where would we both be?”

Ouch. 

“You...raise a fair point. But you’re better versed in the military’s leave policies than I am, we do have time off, right?”

“Are you saying you need a vacation?” she quipped, but then continued. “Noncommissioned officers work on a time-basis--you can think of them as mercenaries, to use layman’s terms. Commissioned officers such as yourself have a fortnight of leave--though you don’t seem to recognize them--barring extenuating circumstances. Civilian support staff operate under similar policies.”

“Field Marshal Viola’s technically a commissioned officer, right?”

“Is this about her resignation again?” His secretary sighed. She walked over and picked up a report lying on the Lieutenant General’s desk--it was indeed paperwork related to the Valkyrie’s recent action. “You know, I’m wary about whatever comes out of that man’s mouth as much as you are, but maybe you could consider it from her perspective too.”

Of course, he had given Viola his word that he would not badger her regarding her decision, but he was free to ponder over it on as own. “Well, I must agree that it must not be terribly pleasant for her to be ordered about like she was, but resigning altogether is a bit unexpected. I wonder if something happened.”

“That may be a possibility, but it’s hard to confirm anything without asking her. Although, on a more mundane level, it’s something that we kind of expected.”

“We? Who’s we?” 

“The normal, non-combat people, Lieutenant General. Perhaps the speeches have gone to your head as well--the Prophet Noah wasn’t all about waging war against Granorg, he had a great deal to say about the importance of familial bonds as well.” 

He was a bit miffed at that jab, but he had to concede that the teachings of the Prophet Noah had not interested him in the slightest. 

“The Valkyrie’s devotion to the Prophet Noah’s teachings is quite well known, and she’s getting quite on in her years, so naturally we expected her to resign to have children and raise a family. There’s really only so much time that we’re given for that, you know.”

Well. Raul really hadn’t expected that. To be honest, he hadn’t even considered the fact that she had romantic prospects, despite the throngs of young men proclaiming their admiration for her--he supposed that chalking it all up to her popularity as a commander was quite a generalization. “Is that really in the Prophet Noah’s teachings?”

“More or less, I’m sure she would know more clearly--given her connection to the Prophet and all. I mean, we’re all grateful that she’s so dedicated to protecting us on the front, but I’m surprised she’s stayed in this long--the other day my niece got engaged, and she has to be about half of the Valkyrie’s age. By the way, I do intend on taking off for that--” she continued, as though their discussion of the Field Marshal’s resignation had never occurred. “I hope you can survive an afternoon without me here.”

“Yes, yes. I can promise you an entire worry-free day, if you’d prefer. I’d even--”

“Watch out--!” 

Before Raul could react, his secretary had tackled him out of his chair and onto the floor. He found himself pinned by her weight, and craned his neck to see just what had transpired. The window behind where he had been seated was thrown open, sending the frigid winter air into the room. 

Something thumped dully behind Raul’s desk opposite the window. “Are you alright?” He inquired.

She nodded and struggled to a seated position. “I’ll get help.” She whispered briefly.

“No! Someone’s here--Don’t-”

Raul had reached out to stop her, but she had already crept out from behind the desk, making a dash for the door, shouting for the guards all the while. Mere seconds later, there was a sickening crunching sound, and then a thunderous crash.

“Pretty cowardly of you to hide behind your secretary, Lieutenant General.” said a gravelly voice Raul did not recognize. “But then, I guess it wasn’t that much effort.”

Raul stiffened as he heard the approaching footsteps. He tried not thinking about the fate of his secretary. He gripped his sword and strained his hearing to determine where the assassin (yes, it was definitely an assassin) would be coming. 

“Raul...above you...”

Immediately, the assassin struck. His secretary’s notice gave Raul the warning to twist out of the way; the assassin’s mace missing his head, striking instead the pauldron covering his left shoulder. The piece of armor collapsed from the blow, its now distorted shape pinning his arm awkwardly to his side. 

As soon as he was able, Raul conjured a push spell on the assassin, forcing the other man back a few paces. The Lieutenant General took the opportunity to regain his footing, and edge towards towards the door.

With just his sword (which he was never terribly great at) and a rusty recollection of a few spells, chance of defeating his assailant, who was about as formidable as Rosch, in open combat were slim. Raul hoped that sometime along the way, the assassin would perhaps become more careless, and perhaps that might be the opening he needed to do something. How did that sleep break spell he saw at the pawnshop down near the barracks go again? 

In the meanwhile, the most effective plan the Lieutenant General could come up with was to keep as much distance between himself and the assassin. Unfortunately, his office was only so large, and he was rapidly tiring (whether from physical exertion or mana use, he couldn’t decide). 

Had he really have become so careless as of late to overlooked sudden physical assaults? Raul thought, as the assassin made another rush at him. Between the timing of Rosch’s promotion and Viola’s resignation so quickly in succession, it was clear that Hugo had already commenced his restructuring of Alistel.  
\--

Only a few days had passed since Viola had spoken with General Hugo and submitted her formal resignation notice to an understandably disconcerted Lieutenant General Raul. Titles aside, she had plenty of work to smooth over her transition, especially since there would be a fair amount of uphill to convince her colonels that they were now to report to a newly appointed Field Marshal some dozen years their junior, even if there was no question that Rosch was wholly dedicated for the job.

It had been a long time since Viola made use of her office, and she found that a fine layer of dust had settled over all the uncovered surfaces. Just like at Sand Fortress, she thought ruefully. The old fort was structurally sound, but the occasional sandstorms blowing in from Itolia Wastelands still managed to deposit sand even within the fortress itself, even without squads of soldiers tracking it in everywhere. 

Viola had become accustomed to cleaning the sand off her things each morning, but sand was more easily managed than the particulate that had accumulated here in Alistel. She managed to clear off the surface of the desk, though by doing so, raised a great cloud of dust in the process. Perhaps using a wet rag was a better idea, she thought, coughing as she cracked open a window. She shivered as the cold winter air made its way into the room, but at least it was easier to breathe.

Everything of import had been long transferred to the basement archives or with her to Sand Fortress; the only things that remained were old tomes whose owners had long passed and a few of her own belongings. If she just left her diaries next to those antiquated texts, would someone later be able to tell the difference? 

She banished the line of thinking before it became more destructive. As a follower of the Prophet Noah, certainly she should have confidence in his guidance--the fate of Alistel and her people were more important than whatever concerns she had of the remains of her life. This resignation was certainly an opportunity to build the foundations of a future that could stand on its own.

Now then, the most immediate concern was of course, the war with Granorg and the constant drain on the soldiers and civilians alike. Viola could barely recall a time that the two countries were not openly hostile--both Queen Protea and King Victor before her had seen Alistel as an unfortunate blot upon the world map, and spared no expense keeping the smaller nation from encroaching further on the remaining lands. 

The Prophet Noah had always been interested in the dissemination of secrets that the Granorgite nobles kept to themselves, and after decades of discourse and negotiations, had finally been convinced that completely overthrowing the kingdom was the only course of action left available. On the other hand, if certain rumors about Queen Protea were to be believed, continuing war now may not be the optimal course of action, as long as they were able to achieve the Prophet Noah’s goals through alternative means.

This did mean that unfortunately, she was not the best person for that kind of diplomatic mission, and of those who had enough clout to approach Granorgite royalty directly, General Hugo had been baiting the Alistellian citizenry far too much to be convincing, and Lieutenant General Raul had far too little interest in the Prophet Noah to take discussions about Granorgite conspiracy theories seriously. 

Viola sighed. She would have liked to talk with the Prophet Noah upon her return, but she suspected that now he had ascended beyond even her reach. The last time she had spoken at length with the Prophet was when Hugo first promoted her some years ago.

The sound of shattering glass broke through Viola's thoughts. 

She raced to the window and surveyed the castle grounds. Her window, like all of the officers', opened out to a private courtyard, which remained unused save for ceremonies and similar official functions. She found it quite empty, as it usually was when not in use--the cold weather meant that Alistellians tended to seek warmer areas indoors.

Then, Viola heard a second, dull thump. It was quite muffled, but she could tell that it came from some room above hers. As she examined the right side of the castle, she could make out some new gouges on the side of the castle wall, leading up and around the corner to where Lieutenant General Raul's office was located. 

While she had every confidence in the Lieutenant General's strategic prowess, she could not say the same of his constitution. Viola made her way swiftly to his office, resolved to check upon the Lieutenant General.

As she approached the office, Viola could make out the muffled cacophony of fighting from the other side. She instinctively gripped the scabbard of her sword as she flung open the door.

Viola was immediately met with a mace descending upon her. She brought up her sword in time, and parried. 

The other man had not expected her presence, giving Viola the chance to disarm him and corner him against the wall. It was only then that she noticed he was wearing the standard Alistel soldier uniform.

"I am Field Marshal Viola. Name your name and rank." She commanded. "What are you doing in the Lieutenant General's office? And where is the Lieutenant General?" 

The attacker glared at her in response, remaining silent. 

“You are in quite a compromising situation, and I’m ordering you to answer my questions, soldier. Otherwise, I will be forced to treat you as a traitor to Alistel and execute you here and now.”

Without warning, the man lunged forward, grabbing the blade of her sword in an attempt to wrench it away. Though Viola kept a fast hold on the weapon, she did not have the force to prevent him from breaking away. 

The man tried to scramble as quickly as he could to the window, but was ironically hindered by both his large size and the destruction that was wrought upon the office. Viola had no trouble pursuing him, and drawing her second blade, swiftly beheading him between her two blades. 

Now that the immediate source of danger was gone, Viola scanned the room. Lieutenant General Raul's office was completely unrecognizable. Furniture lay askew in every direction--a large armoire had toppled over, a couple chairs lay in broken heaps, their legs littering the carpet. The Lieutenant General's desk, as well as a dozen places along the walls, bore dents the exact size and shape of the mace the other man had thrown at her.

Very slowly, the office door that she had thrown open creaked forward, revealing a bewildered Lieutenant General Raul, who looked as though he had fallen down a flight of stairs.

“Thank the gods you came, Viola. I thought I was done for.” He wheezed.

“It’s good to see you well, Lieutenant General. I’m glad I was able to make it in time.” 

She moved to help him up, but noticed that he had ignored her in favor of shuffling towards and trying to disassemble a large jumble of toppled furniture. He struggled to lift a bookshelf from the pile, so Viola sheathed her swords and made her way to assist. “Here, let me help. But, Lieutenant General, what are you doing?”

“My secretary.” Raul replied without hesitation. “She must be buried somewhere under here. When the assassin broke in, she tried to get help but...”

Viola could guess the rest and didn’t pursue the topic further. Working together, the two of them were able to dismantle the pile of junk, including a massive trunk that had fallen upon his secretary. 

Raul went immediately to his secretary’s side as soon as they had freed her, and Viola found herself standing aside as the Lieutenant General ran through a litany of healing spells. Moments passed, and the lieutenant general only grew paler.

Pulling off a gauntlet, Viola knelt down beside the secretary’s body to feel for a pulse. Finding none, she reached for the lieutenant general’s hand, which was still in the midst of conjuring magic. “Raul, I’m sorry, but there’s nothing we can do that will bring her back now.”

Yet despite this, he persisted. “No, she can’t possibly-- It was me that he was after and she only tried to save me, how can I just do nothing?”

Ordinarily, Viola would have been more sympathetic, but the demands of the situation required less tact and more results. “Because you’re draining your energy on wasted effort, and if you keep this up, even I can see that you’ll soon expire yourself, and then your secretary’s death would have been for naught. Surely this can’t be the first time you’ve been confronted with imminent danger and death! Get a grip on yourself.”

Only then did Raul cease his ministrations and shift his attention away from his secretary. For a moment, his gaze looked blankly in horror before focusing on Viola. “No, I’ve seen death plenty of times....and I don’t think I’d ever get used to it--I’m terribly sorry if it’s become something you’ve been inured to.”

“I’m not pleased by it myself, but the demands of the battlefield are many.” Viola said. 

“Of course.” He replied glumly.

“Come on, lieutenant general, let’s get you to the medical wing and someone to investigate this scene--”

“No, don’t.” Raul interrupted. “Best not to alarm anyone, I think, and despite how I look, I’m not too injured.”

Well, as far as Viola could tell, they had neutralized the threat, so the rest of the castle was not under immediate danger from the intruder. “Well, come down to my office at least--I have some potions in stock, and I would like to hear more about what transpired.”


End file.
